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One of the versatile actors of Malayalam cinema Cochin Haneefa passed away due to liver cancer on Tuesday in Chennai.
Remembered for his excellent comedy as well as character in films like Mannar Mathai Speaking, Punjabi House, Kunjikkoonan, Kireedom, Thalavattam, Pathram Kinnaripuzhayoram, Meesa Madhavan, Es Parakkum Thalika, Megham, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Soothradharan (for which he won the Kerala State Award for best actor), Swapnakoodu and Udayananu Tharam Cochin Haneefa has left an indelible mark in the hearts of Malayalam film goers.
Born as Salim Ahmed Ghoush in Kochi, Haneefa was a mimicry artiste at the early stages of his career with a drama troupe known as “Cochin Kalabhavan”, where he got his stage name Cochin Haneefa. The troupe also included famed Malayalam artistes Jayaram, Kalabhavan Mani, Harisree Asokan, Salim Kumar, and Bindhu Panicker.
He made his debut in Malayalam films, in a small role in the movie ‘Ashtavakran’ in the year 1979. Later he went on to many different characters not only in Malayalam but also Tamil.
Haneefa is a also a director having directed films including Oru Sandesham Koodi, Moonnu Masangalkku Munpu, Aankiliyude Tharattu and Bheeshmacharya. But his Valsalyam, scripted by Lohitadas and starring Mammootty which remains his best work.
In Tamil also Haneefa was very popular. He fist entered Tamil industry as a director and directed movies Paasa Paravigal, Paadatha Thenikkal, Paasa Mazhai, Pagalil Pournami, Pillai Pasam, and Vasaliley Oru Vennila between 1988 and 1991. Some of his early Tamil films he directed were the scripts of Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi.
Later he reentered Tamil as an actor. His first film as an actor was ‘Mahanadhi’ with Kamal Haasan. Later he went on to do over 100 films in Tamil as an actor working with all the top heroes in the industry. Of late he was seen in Shankar's Anniyan and Sivajii and Vijay’s ‘Vettaikkaran’. In Tamil his last will would be ‘Asal’ with Ajith releasing this Friday. In Malayalam, his last release was ‘Bodyguard’.
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